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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25697674">Recriminations</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragons_SRSunn/pseuds/dragons_SRSunn'>dragons_SRSunn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Insights [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Warriors - Erin Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:00:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25697674</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragons_SRSunn/pseuds/dragons_SRSunn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><em>"We were the Three!" Jayfeather hissed...."The Three! Kin of your kin! My brother was your mentor! How could you betray us like this? How could you change Clans?"</em><br/><em>"Nowhere in the prophecy did it say</em> 'ThunderClan <em>kin of your kin' or anything like it," Dovewing pointed out.</em></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Insights [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877074</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Recriminations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is really written by a friend who was too shy to get her own account.</p><p>Takes place between The Raging Storm and Squirrelflight's Hope.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As she crossed the tree-bridge to the island, Dovewing felt both excited and anxious.</p><p>Excited, because this was her kits' first Gathering as apprentices, and her first Gathering in a very long time.</p><p>Anxious, because this was her first Gathering since joining ShadowClan.</p><p>How would ThunderClan react? She'd been back twice since leaving, but a Gathering was different. Coming to a Gathering with ShadowClan was like affirming she was a ShadowClan cat now. Which she was, but how would ThunderClan react?</p><p>She missed them, Ivypool most of all.</p><p>At least she and Ivypool had been able to talk when Dovewing had gone with the patrol to ThunderClan that time Puddleshine had been hurt. And she'd talked to Whitewing and Birchfall when they'd escorted her to ShadowClan territory-home,now-when she'd first been back. But everyone else...</p><p>Maybe Lionblaze would be here, so she could try to explain it all to him.</p><p>She just hoped Bumblestripe hadn't been chosen to go to this Gathering. Things would be awkward enough as it was.</p><p>"Are you sure about this?" Tigerstar asked her. "ThunderClan..."</p><p>"It'll be fine," she told him, before he could finish saying what ThunderClan might or might not do. "It was fine when I went back those times, wasn't it?" Well, not <em>fine</em>, maybe, but close enough.</p><p>Dovewing saw a glimmer of sympathy in Tigerstar's eyes. "You're hoping to see Ivypool, aren't you?"<br/>
"Well, yes," Dovewing admitted. "But she probably won't be here, since her kits aren't six moons old yet. Also, I want to see Whitewing and Birchfall."</p><p>Tigerstar flicked his tail. "If any cat gives you trouble, let me know."</p><p>He waited until she nodded, then raised his tail and led ShadowClan into the Gathering. ThunderClan, WindClan, and SkyClan were already there. Dovewing hesitated.</p><p>Then she noticed her kits were also hovering at the edge of the clearing.</p><p>"So many cats..." Lightpaw breathed. "Even more than the guardian cats!"</p><p>They were nervous, too.</p><p>"Come with me," Dovewing offered. "I can-" <em>I can what? Introduce them to my ex-Clanmates? Oh, they'll be thrilled..."</em></p><p>Before she could finish whatever she was going to say-she wasn't even sure herself-she heard a voice call her name. </p><p>"Dovewing!"</p><p>Whitewing pushed her way through the crowd of cats and pressed herself against Dovewing's side. "You're here!"</p><p>Dovewing leaned against her mother, breathing in her scent, feeling for a moment like she was a kit again and not a warrior responsible for her own choices. "I miss you," she whispered.</p><p>"I miss you too," Whitewing told her. "But-" she searched her daughter's gaze inquisitively. "Are you happy in ShadowClan?"</p><p>Dovewing hesitated. <em>Was </em>she happy in ShadowClan?</p><p>She had Tigerstar.</p><p>And she had Pouncepaw and Lightpaw and Shadowpaw.</p><p>And she had friends, even- Berryheart, Cinnamonpaw, Cloverfoot, Tawnypelt.</p><p>Yes, she was happy in ShadowClan.</p><p>"Yes," she told Whitewing confidentially. "Yes, I am."</p><p>"Then if that's what you feel is best for you-" Whitewing started.</p><p>She was interrupted by Pouncepaw and Lightpaw rolling over each other and crashing into her. </p><p>"Pouncepaw!" Dovewing hissed. "Lightpaw! What are you doing? This is a Gathering!"</p><p>What would Whitewing think?</p><p>"We were just play-fighting," Pouncepaw grumbled. "It's not like we jumped on some bossy ThunderClan cats or anything."</p><p>Dovewing wished she had some long reeds or something to tie up Pouncepaw's muzzle with. Her mother was <em>right here.</em></p><p>To her relief though, Whitewing's whiskers were twitching in amusement. "Do you remember me?" she asked the apprentices.</p><p>They regarded her for a moment. "I remember you." Pouncepaw told her. </p><p>"Me too!" Lightpaw and Shadowpaw added at the same time, not about to let Pouncepaw take all the credit. </p><p>"I'm your mother's mother." Whitewing told them.</p><p>"We know," Lightpaw meowed.</p><p>"Lightpaw!" Dovewing hissed. "Be polite!"</p><p>"I am!" Lightpaw protested. </p><p>"Is Ivypool here?" Dovewing asked her mother, ignoring for the moment the differences between her and her daughter's definition of politeness. </p><p>Whitewing shook her head. "No, Thriftkit has a cough. Nothing serious, but she wanted to stay with her anyway. She told me to send you her greetings. Birchfall isn't here either- he had a thorn in his pad earlier today and Leafpool told him to stay home, so as not to risk infection. He says hi, too."</p><p>Dovewing nodded. So Ivypool sent her greetings... it was less than she'd hoped for, but more than she'd expected.</p><p>"Can you tell her... tell her I send my greetings too. And I love her. And I hope Thriftkit feels better. Tell Birchfall too. Except for the part about Thriftkit, I guess." Oh, how she missed her family!</p><p>Shadowpaw nudged her. "Puddleshine's waving his tail for me to come over. He said he would introduce me to the other medicine cats. Can I go?"</p><p>"By yourself?" Dovewing asked.</p><p>"It's only a Gathering." Lightpaw pointed out. "We've been much farther away than that. Shadowpaw especially."</p><p>"True," Dovewing admitted. But they were still so young...and in a Gathering full of full-blooded Clan cats...</p><p>"I'll go with him." Lightpaw offered. She turned to Pouncepaw. "Wanna come with us?"</p><p>Pouncepaw shook her head. "No, I think I'll just watch for now."</p><p>To their credit, neither Lightpaw nor Shadowpaw teased her for her hesitation.</p><p>"See you soon," Lightpaw told her. </p><p>"Let's go already!" Shadowpaw complained.</p><p>The two of them headed toward the other medicine cats. </p><p>"Be careful!" Dovewing called after them. "No fighting! Remember the rules!"</p><p>"It's just a Gathering," Whitewing told her gently. "There's a time when you have to let your kits go."</p><p>"I know," Dovewing replied. "It's just..."</p><p>"I know," Whitewing told her, with a trace of sadness. She brushed her muzzle against Dovewing's side. </p><p>After a few heartbeats, "Whitewing asked her, "Do you want to go share tongues with other cats? I can keep an eye on Pouncepaw."</p><p>"I don't need to be kept an eye on," Pouncepaw objected, at the same time looking terrified at the the thought of being left alone among the Gathering. </p><p>"I know," Whitewing told her," But do you want to tell me how your training's going?"</p><p>Pouncepaw's eyes lit up. "Great! We learned this really cool move the other day. You have to move your paws like this..."</p><p>As Pouncepaw began to demonstrate, Dovewing quietly slipped away, feeling warm toward both her mother and her daughter.</p><p>She halted near a cluster of WindClan cats and looked around. Tigerstar was near the Great Oak, talking to Harestar and Mistystar- apparently, RiverClan had arrived. Shadowpaw was talking excitedly to Puddleshine and Alderheart. Nearby, Lightpaw had found a couple of RiverClan apprentices to chat with. Pouncepaw was showing Whitewing her best hunting moves. </p><p>Then she spotted Lionblaze talking with Crowfeather at the edge of the clearing. Instantly, all of her nervous feelings were back. <em>It'll be fine, </em>she told herself. <em>He was your mentor. It'll be fine. He'll understand. Or at least he'll try to. He's half-Clan himself...which is exactly why he'll be upset! Okay, stop arguing with yourself and go talk to him. </em></p><p>She took a few steps forward, but was stopped by the sudden appearance of Jayfeather. </p><p>"Well?" He snapped.</p><p>"Well what?" Dovewing asked.</p><p>"What do you think?" Jayfeather hissed, lashing his tail. "Why? Why did you abandon us?"</p><p>"I didn't <em>abandon </em>you," Dovewing protested. </p><p>Jayfeather snorted. "You disappear one day, no message, no goodbye, no anything for <em>moons</em>, and then you come back and go to ShadowClan. It sure seems like you abandoned us."</p><p>"Jayfeather-" Dovewing tried, futilely. </p><p>"We were the Three!" Jayfeather hissed. Despite being blind, his blue eyes bored into her as if he could see her soul. </p><p>Dovewing suppressed a shiver; she'd forgotten how eerie it was when he did that. Jayfeather no longer had the power to sense other cat's emotions and memories, but it didn't always feel like that.</p><p>"The Three!" He repeated. "Kin of your Kin! My brother was your mentor. How could you betray us like this? How could you change Clans?"</p><p>"Nowhere in the prophecy did it say 'ThunderClan kin of your kin' or anything like it," Dovewing pointed out.</p><p>Jayfeather's claws dug into the ground. "It was all but implied! Where else would Firestar's kin be but in ThunderClan? After everything we've been through together...The Great Battle, the Dark Forest...How could you leave us?"</p><p>Dovewing realized that Jayfeather truly felt betrayed by her taking a mate from another Clan and later joining his Clan. But her fury got the better of her.</p><p>"Well, what I supposed to do?!" she snapped right back at him. "Leave my kits to grow up without a father?"</p><p>"They wouldn't grow up without a father." Jayfeather returned. "He seems pretty alive to me."</p><p>"You know that's not what I meant," Dovewing hissed. "In different Clans, at best they'd see each other at Gatherings and any border patrols they happened to meet up on. They'd barely know him."</p><p>"They were nearly four moons old when you came back," Jayfeather pointed out. "They'd know him well enough. It's been done before, you know."</p><p>"What has?" Dovewing asked guardedly. </p><p>"Rejoining your Clan even after you became mates with a cat in another one. Bluestar did it, you know."</p><p>"And that worked out so well for her," Dovewing muttered. "Didn't one of her kits die?"</p><p>"Even <em>Leafpool </em>went back to ThunderClan!" Jayfeather hissed, teeth bared, apparently using this case as a last resort. </p><p>"Exactly," Dovewing told him. "<em>Exactly.</em>"</p><p>"What do you mean?" Jayfeather asked. </p><p>"You <em>hate</em> Crowfeather." she told him. Forgetting that he couldn't see for a moment, she flicked her tail in the direction of Lionblaze and Crowfeather's conversation, which Jayfeather had made no attempt to join. "I want my kits to grow up knowing their father, and loving him. Not like you."</p><p>She turned and walked back to the ShadowClan cats with her head held high, leaving Jayfeather staring after her, almost as if he could see her, with the oddest expression on his face. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This had a sort-of sequel, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28530135">Recognition</a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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